Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Trail News Enthusiastic Groups Attend Preservation Workshops Large groups and enthusiastic properties, to seek help in identifying valuable preservation expertise from participation characterized two recently- previously unknown historic buildings representatives of three State Historic held Trail of Tears National Historic Trail along the trail routes, and to set priorities Preservation Ofces (SHPOs). Mark (NHT) preservation workshops. The among chapter members for actions Christ and Tony Feaster spoke on behalf frst took place in Cleveland, Tennessee, to be taken related toward historic site of the Arkansas Historic Preservation on July 8 and 9, while the second took identifcation and preservation. Program, and Lynda Ozan—who also place on July 12 and 13 in Fayetteville, attended the Fayetteville meeting— Arkansas. More than 80 Trail of Tears To assist association members in represented the Oklahoma SHPO. At Association (TOTA) members and expanding the number of known historic the Cleveland meeting, Peggy Nickell friends attended the workshops, which sites along the trail, the NPS has been represented the Tennessee SHPO. TOTA took place as a result of the combined working for the past year with the Center President Jack Baker, recently elected to eforts of the Trail of Tears Association, for Historic Preservation at Middle the Cherokee Nation’s Tribal Council, the National Park Service (NPS), and Tennessee State University. Two staf played a key leadership role at both Middle Tennessee State University in members from the center, Amy Kostine workshops. Murphreesboro. and Katie Randall, were on hand at both workshops, and each shared information Representatives of both the Choctaw The workshops had several purposes: to on what had been learned about newly- and Chickasaw nations were also in provide information about historic sites discovered trail properties. attendance. Georgia chapter member along the trail, to help members in their Jef Bishop, who helped organize eforts to preserve and monitor these Conference participants gained the conference, gave a presentation illustrating case studies (battles both won and lost) involving Trail of Tears- related houses, taverns, and other historic properties. A highlight of both workshops was a feld trip to area historic sites. The Cleveland workshop, led by Jef Bishop, took participants to the James Brown House in Ooltewah, Tennessee, where all were greeted by the owner Mrs. Jonathan Smith, after which everyone took part in a preservation documentation exercise. The bus then headed to the John Ross House in Rossville, Georgia, where Larry Rose was on hand to speak about the building’s history and preservation concerns. A brief visit was made to the Hair Conrad Cabin, with excellent narration along the way provided by Tennessee Chapter member (and local resident) Debbie Moore. TOTA President Jack Baker welcomes participants to the preservation workshop in Fayetteville, Arkansas. See WORKSHOPS, page 2 Newsletter of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Partnership • September 2013 Workshops (continued from page 1) Ten on the Trail 18th Annual Trail of Tears Association Conference and Symposium Attendees at the Fayetteville workshop By Carolyn Kent new homes. Panel fve was dedicated It’s that time of year - make your plans to Conference Scholarships were treated to visits to the John Fitzgerald at Old Austin where members of the attend the 18th annual conference and Confirmed Presentations property in Springdale, followed by an The Arkansas chapter is completing Choctaws and Muscogee Creeks traveled symposium in Hopkinsville, Kentucky! Any youth (high schoolers and college excursion up the Old Wire Road (on or a major project that has been in the on the Arkansas Post to Cadron Road. students) interested in attending the MTSU/NPS Site Identifcation near the Trail of Tears route) to Cross works for several years. We have located Panel six was installed and dedicated at Registration conference - send email to Jerra Project Hollow, with outstanding narration sites and placed ten, two-by-three foot, Morrilton for the old town of Lewisburg Quinton Baker at: —Amy Kostine provided by Arkansas chapter members interpretive panels around the state where all the parties traveling the water Registration will be $175 with a $50 [email protected] John McLarty and Glenn Jones. The last depicting the removal of the fve major route passed on their journey and where discount for members. Report on Retracement Bike stop was at Pea Ridge National Military southeastern tribes. the Whiteley and Drane parties of The Trail of Tears Association TOTA has contracted with two host Rides Park, just south of the Missouri state line, Cherokee were stranded for several days. has funds to pay for travel and hotel stay. where park employee Kevin Eads showed The “Ten on the Trail” project was funded hotels for special room rates—the Holiday Inn and Fairfeld Inn and Suites. —Eastern Band, Cherokee participants a signed Trail of Tears NHT by a grant from one-time appropriations The seventh panel was placed at Nation, Creek Nation, and of the 86th Arkansas General Assembly Evansville where the Bell party of Choctaw Nation and was administrated by the Arkansas Cherokees disbanded and at least two Reserve now and take advantage of lower room rates! Department of Heritage. Chapter project other parties passed. The panel prompted Illinois Site Identifcation Project and research coordinator Carolyn Kent the people of Evansville to further study designed and researched the panels. The their history. With the help of chapter —Mark Wagner, Kayleigh communities selected for the panels had Vice President Glenn Jones, members Sharop, and Frank Norris to agree to be responsible for installing of the Evansville community have been Cave Spring, Georgia, Projects the panels and also to help the chapter researching original parts of the route arrange a dedication ceremony. and the Latta House, where the Bell party —Jef Bishop disbanded. Oral interviews have been Panel one was dedicated at Lavaca where conducted with area residents. Water Route Retracement by members of all fve tribes passed on one James E. Bruce Convention Center, Hopkinsville, Kentucky Kayak John McClarty addresses the group during a field trip of the land routes. Panel two was installed Panel eight was placed on the water route with National Trails Intermountain Region’s Michael at Point Chicot, one of the landing places at Old Post Road Park and the Arkansas —Dale Stewart Taylor (left) and Frank Norris (right). for the Choctaws as they crossed the River Visitor Center in Russellville. All Mississippi River; and panel three was fve tribes traveling the water route passed North Carolina Cherokee segment. Eads also covered Elkhorn erected at Camden, a Choctaw land route here. Members of the Choctaw and Emigrant Route through Eastern Tennessee on the way to Fort Tavern, where the Ruddick family to Indian Territory. Ruby Bolding, an Chickasaw tribes crossed the Arkansas Cass (including Fort Armistead) witnessed the passage of thousands of employee of the Choctaw Nation, painted River at the ferry on their journey west. migrating Cherokee during the winter of an original painting of Choctaws getting Panels nine and ten cover the Cherokee —Brett Riggs 1838-39. of a ferry boat for the Point Chicot Benge Route. One was installed and and Camden panels. She used current dedicated at Maynard and the other is to Marking the Trail, NPS Sign TOTA’s executive director Jerra members of the Choctaw Nation for her be installed and dedicated at Carrollton, Planning Quinton played an important role in models. marking the completion of this major the workshops’ success as the behind- chapter project. —NPS, Coreen Kolisko the-scenes coordinator. Members of Panel four went up at Benton where the the Tennessee and Arkansas chapters Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Quapaws Chickasaw Treaties and served as valuable, if unheralded, passed along the Southwest Trail to their Kentucky Homeland people for their local arrangements —Chickasaw Representative work. Shirley Lawrence, Debbie Moore, Cleata Townsend, Melissa Woody, and Darlene Goins were remarkably helpful in organizing the Cleveland workshop, while John McLarty, Glenn Jones, and Susan Young were enormously helpful in arrangements at the Fayetteville workshop. For more information on preservation and National Register nominations, contact National Trails Intermountain Region, 505-988-6098. The Fayetteville workshop included a field trip to Small group discussion at the Fayetteville Pea Ridge National Military Park. preservation workshop. 2 Trail of Tears National Historic Trail News • September 2013 September 2013• Trail of Tears National Historic Trail News 3 State Brochures on a Shelf Near You Vision Becoming Reality by Jef Bishop TOTA State Chapter Contacts In the past year, two Trail of Tears’ state The Tennessee story focuses on Cherokee Amy Kostine at [email protected]. Using Partnerships to Develop the Trail of Tears brochures were initiated, designed, life before removal, why the tribe was The frst printing of 3,000 Georgia National Historic Trail and produced. Middle State Tennessee forced to leave their homelands, and brochures has been distributed! And a Alabama University and the National Park Service the hardships they encountered as they second printing is underway. For more Marty King partnered to develop the frst statewide traveled through Tennessee. information, contact Jef